Handstamp with knee-action type support



March 11, 1969 w. K. MUNSON 3,431,840

HANDSTAMP WITH KNEE-ACTION TYPE- SUPPORT I Filed March 3, 1967 INVENTOR. WH/TA/EY/f. Mu/vs 0N ATTORNEY United States Patent 2 Claims Int. Cl. B41j 1/60; B411: 1/56 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dater or similar handstamp having a knee-action support for the type in a printing operation of the stamp, wherein said support has a yieldable backing and the handgrip of the stamp has a universal mounting on the casing of the hand stamp.

Background of the invention The invention deals with what are generally referred to as rubber handstamps, particularly of the dater stamp kind, wherein the type is disposed upon a plurality of flexible bands or belts adjustable relatively to each other in setting a predetermined date. The present invention deals with handstamps of this type and kind, wherein a band or belt supporting yoke is employed, the yoke having what is termed a knee action for insuring perfect transfer of the type to a surface to be printed and, further, wherein said yoke has a resilient backing. Still further, the invention deals with handstamps of the character defined, wherein the handgrip has a universal mounting on the casing of the stamp to further insulre accurate printing operations of the handstamp.

While handstamps of the type and kind are well known in the art, to applicants knowledge, no such devices have been produced incorporating the structural features of this invention, which structural features applicant believes to be distinctly new in this art.

Summary of the invention With handstamps of the type and kind under consideration, difiiculty has been experienced, particularly in fast operation of handstamps, in obtaining perfect printing transfers onto the subject being printed. However, with applicants knee-action support, these objections have been substantially eliminated and further assurance of this is made possible by the type and kind of handgrip unit employed on the casing of the handstamp.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a handstamp made according to my invention, with parts of the construction shown in section and parts broken away and omitted to simplify the illustration.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial section on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, represents a more or less generally standard U-shaped casing of what is generally referred to as a dater stamp, the casing having depending side walls 11 and the top crosshead wall of the casing has depending side portions 12 overlying the walls 11. Mounted in connection with the crosshead of the casing 10 is a handgrip unit 13, generally of the type and kind shown in Letters Patent of the United States issued ice to me No. 3,303,780 on Feb. 14, 1967. This unit comprises a handgrip 14, the usual flat surface of which is seen at 15. Mounted in the handgrip is a plunger rod 16, which extends into a universal socket 17, in which the rod 16, including the handgrip 14, has a universal swinging mounting.

Mounted in the upper portion of the casing 10 is an axis pin 18, on which is rotatably mounted a plurality of drums 19, each having finger operated discs 20 for independently rotating the separate drums, as well known in the art. Mounted on the drums are a series of rubber bands or belts, generally identified by the reference character 21 which vary in widths, consistent with the widths of the drums 19, these belts having on their peripheral surfaces arrangement of type characters 22, one of which is shown, in section, in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Normally, with dater stamps, these bands or belts, reading from left to right in FIG. 1 would be the month stamp, the next the two small day of the month stamps and then the year stamp, again, as well known in the art.

The conventional dater stamp casings are modified to provide between the side walls 11 an inwardly set or positioned backing plate 23, each end of which has a reduced riveted key portion 24, one key portion and one end portion of the plate being clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing on an enlarged scale. The casing is further modified in providing on the side walls 11, below the plate 23, elongated recesses 25 opening through the lower ends of the side walls 11.

Mounted in and operating freely in the recesses 25 is a type supporting and operating yoke 26. This yoke between the side walls 11 is of channel cross-sectional form, as will closely appear from a consideration of FIG. 3 of the drawing, in other words, comprises spaced side walls 27 and a crosshead 28, upon which the type bands 21 seat, again, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The ends of the crosshead 28 extend into the recesses 25, as seen in the broken away portion of FIG. 2 at 28 and extending from the ends 28' are upwardly projecting side arm 29, note FIGS. 1 and 2, arranged upon outer surfaces of the side walls 11. Considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, it Will appear that the side walls 27 are disposed outwardly of side edges of the backing plate 23 and disposed between the backing plate 23 and the crosshead 28 is a resilient backing for the yoke comprising, in the construction shown, a rubber pad 30, which is housed within the side walls 27 of the channel portion of the yoke 26.

The mounting of the yoke 26 in the side walls 11 will be such as to provide free transverse, as well as longitudinal tilting of the yoke, producing the knee-action support for the various type bands or belts, so that, in making the printing impression with the stamp, the various type characters can be brought into proper engagement with the surface being printed, even though the body portion of the stamp or the casing 10 approaches this surface at a slight angular position. In the combination as defined and where handgrip units, such as the unit 13-, are employed, this assurance of a proper printing operation is further expedited by first properly controlling the position of the casing with respect to the surface being printed and then in the knee action provided. It will be apparent that sufficient clearances will be provided between the ends 28' and the slots 25 to provide this freedom of movement.

It will be understood that the yieldable backing or rubber pad 30 serves to apply tension to the type bands or belts for frictional engagement with the respective drums to facilitate adjustment of the bands in positioning the selected type characters 22 at the lower end of the stamp in making an imprint.

In operation of the handstamp, it will be understood that, as downward pressure is applied to the casing the rigid backing means, namely the plate 23, acts upon the rubber pad 30 in applying downward pressure upon the yoke in moving the type characters supported by the yoke into engagement with the surface being printed and this yieldable backing facilitates the knee-action movement of the yoke 26 in bringing all of the type characters 22 in proper printing engagement with this surface to be printed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A handstamp comprisng a casing including, at its upper end, a handgrip for operation of the stamp, a type supporting and operating yoke movably supported Within the lower portion of the casing and upon which type characters are supported, a backup plate mounted in the lower portion of the casing between which and said yoke is arranged resilient means normally supporting the type characters in firm position on said yoke, the movable support of the yoke in the casing providing free longitudinal and transverse tilting of the yoke in providing a knee action in positioning the type characters for insured printing on a surface to be printed, regardless of the initial angular position of the casing in approaching the surface to be printed, said resilient means comprising a rubber pad positioned within a channelled portion of said yoke, the channelled portion of the yoke defining spaced side walls movable over and engaging side edge portions of said backup plate.

2. A handstamp comprisng a casing including, at its upper end, a handgrip for operation of the stamp, a type supporting and operating yoke movably supported within the lower portion of the casing and upon which type characters are supported, a backup plate mounted in the lower portion of the casing between which and said yoke is arranged resilient means normally supporting the type characters in firm position on said yoke, the movable sup port of the yoke in the casing providing free longitudinal and transverse tilting of the yoke in providing a knee action in positioning the type characters for insured printing on a surface to be printed, regardless of the initial angular position of the casing in approaching the surface to be printed, said resilient means comprising a rubber pad positioned within a channelled portion of said yoke, the channelled portion of the yoke defining spaced side walls movable over and engaging side edge portions of said backup plate, the channelled portion of said yoke including a crosshead, and said crosshead having projecting ends disposed and operating in elongated slits in said casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,562 1/1900 Hill 101379 XR 777,836 12/1904 Buck 10l1 11 1,022,076 4/ 1912 Grotenhuis 101-111 1,061,862 5/1913 Molt 101-406 1,408,389 2/1922 Nordin 1011 11 902,436 10/ 1908 McFarland 101406 2,089,549 8/1937 Grant 101111 ROBERT E. P'ULFR-EY, Primary Examiner.

E. H. EICKHOLT, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 101379, 406 

